Osteospermum plant named ‘Malindi’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Malindi’, characterized by its uniformly mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; full and dense plants; freely flowering habit; dark green foliage; and purple-colored ray florets and dark purple-colored disc florets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Malindi’.

The new Osteospermum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Aabyhøj, Denmark. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new Osteospermum cultivars with uniformplant habit and interesting floret colors.

The new Osteospermum originated from a cross made by the Inventor duringthe summer of 1997 of the Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Mansa, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unidentifiedOsteospermum ecklonis selection, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Osetospermum was discovered and selected by the Inventoras a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross grownin a controlled environment in Aabyhøj, Denmark.

Asexual reproduction of the new Osteospermum by vegetative tip cuttingswas first conducted in Aabyhøj, Denmark in February, 1998. Asexualreproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this newOsteospermum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Malindi has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Malindi’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Malindi’ as a new and distinct Osteospermum:

1. Uniformly mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching growth habit; full and dense plants.

3. Freely flowering habit.

4. Dark green foliage.

5. Purple-colored ray florets and dark purple-colored disc florets.

The new Osteospermum can be compared to plants of the female parent, thecultivar Mansa. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas,Calif., plants of the new Osteospermum differed from plants of thecultivar Mansa in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Osteospermum were larger and not as compact thanplants of the cultivar Mansa.

2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Osteospermum were fragrantwhereas inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Mansa were notfragrant.

3. Ray florets of plants of the new Osteospermum were lighter in colorthan ray florets of plants of the cultivar Mansa.

Plants of the new Osteospermum differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, the unidentified Osteospermum selection, in ray floretcoloration.

The new Osteospermum can also be compared to plants of the cultivarBamba, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/291,101.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Osteospermum differed from plants of the cultivar Bamba in thefollowing characteristics:

1. Inflorescence of plants of the new Osteospermum had more ray floretsthan inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Bamba.

2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Osterspermum were fragrantwhereas inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Bamba were notfragrant.

3. Ray florets of plants of the new Osterspermum were lighter in colorthan ray florets of plants of the cultivar Bamba.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Osterspermum showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newOsteospermum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof three typical flowering plants of ‘Malindi’ grown in a 22-cmcontainer.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalleaves, inflorescences and inflorescence buds of ‘Malindi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs, following observations and averaged measurements describeplants grown during the late winter and early spring in Encinitas,Calif., in polyethylene-covered greenhouses and under conditions whichapproximate those generally used in commercial Osteospermum production.Three rooted cuttings were planted in 22-cm containers and pinched once.During the production of the plants, day temperatures were about 24° C.,night temperatures were about 19° C., and light levels were about 4,000foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages oftypical flowering plants about 18 weeks after planting.

Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Malindi.

Parentage:

Female, or seed, parent.—Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar Mansa, notpatented.

Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified Osteospermum ecklonis selection,not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate rooting.—About 10 days at 18° C.

Time to develop roots.—About 24 days at 18° C.

Root description.—Fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.—Perennial herbaceous container and garden plant. Uniformlymounded plant habit; upright to outwardly spreading. Freely branching,about seven lateral branches develop after pinching; dense and fullplants. Moderately vigorous growth habit.

Plant height.—About 40 cm.

Plant width or area of spread.—All three plants, about 54 cm; individualplants, about 29 cm.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 32 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Internodelength: About 1.3 cm. Aspect: Upright to outward. Strength: Strong, buttallest lateral branches may tend to bend with the weight of theinflorescences. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144C.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Numbers of leavesper lateral branch: About 20. Length: About 5.5 cm. Width: About 2 cm.Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Nearlyentire with occasional tiny serrations. Venation pattern: Pinnate.Texture: Coarse, leathery, glandular and glabrous. Color: Young foliage,upper surface: 143A. Young foliage, lower surface: 143B. Fully expandedfoliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface:147B. Venation, upper surface: 147D. Venation, lower surface: 147C.Petiole: Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Texture, upper andlower surfaces: Glabrous. Color: Upper surface: 144B. Lower surface:144A.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Terminal and axillary inflorescences held above and beyondthe foliage on moderately strong peduncles. Composite inflorescenceform, radially symmetrical, with ligulate-shaped ray florets and discflorets massed at the center; ray and disc florets arranged acropetallyon a capitulum. Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences face uprightor outward.

Flowering response.—Plants flower continuous and freely from the springthrough the fall.

Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color andsubstance for about one week on the plant when grown in an outdoorenvironment.

Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering; at one time, about 80 openinflorescences and buds per plant.

Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant; spicy.

Inflorescence bud (at stage of showing color).—Length: About 1.8 cm.Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, ray florets, lower or outersurface: 86C.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6 cm. Depth (height): About 2.2 cm.Disc diameter: About 1.2 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 2 cm. Receptacleheight: About 1.2 cm.

Ray florets.—Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Ligulate.Apex: Rounded to slightly emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.Texture: Satiny to velvety. Orientation: Initially upright then about60° from vertical. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 20 ina single whorl. Color: When opening, upper surface: 81A. When opening,lower surface: Ground color, 86B with longitudinal stripes, 86A. Fullyopened, upper surface: 87A; color does not fade with subsequentdevelopment. Fully opened, lower surface: Ground color, 87D withlongitudinal stripes, 79A.

Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length:About 9 mm. Width: At apex: About 2 mm. At base: About 1 mm. Number ofdisc florets per inflorescence: About 70. Color: Immature: 90A to 90B.Mature: Apex and mid-section: 90B. Base: 90D.

Phyllaries.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Shape: Linear.Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture: Slightly coarse withtiny hairs. Number of inflorescence: About 16 in a single whorl. Color:Upper surface: 144B. Lower surface: 144A.

Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 12 cm. Length, secondpeduncle: About 8.5 cm. Length, third peduncle: About 10 cm. Diameter:About 2 mm. Angle: Terminal peduncles, erect; secondary and tertiarypeduncles, about 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderate, tend to bendwith weight of inflorescences. Texture: Coarse with tiny scattered shorthairs. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Stamennumber: Five per floret; fused around style. Anther shape: Oblong.Anther size: About 2 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: 79B. Pollen amount:Scarce to moderate. Pollen color: 23B. Gynoecium: Present on both rayand disc florets. Pistil number: One per floret. Pistil length: About 1cm. Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma color: 79A. Style length: About 5mm. Style color: 79C. Ovary color: 144D.

Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common toOsteospermums has not been observed on plants grown under commercialgreenhouse or outdoor conditions.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Osteospermum have been observedto tolerate temperatures from 4° to 32° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plantnamed ‘Malindi’, as illustrated and described.